Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere (1773-1865)
}} Royal Titles and Awards * 6th Baronet of Combermere * 1st Viscount Combermere * GCB: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath * GCH: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order (Hanoverian) * KSI: Knight Companion of the Order of the Star of India * PC: Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council Biography Field Marshal Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere was a British Army officer, diplomat and politician. As a junior officer he took part in the Flanders Campaign, in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and in the suppression of Robert Emmet's insurrection in 1803. He commanded a cavalry brigade in Sir Arthur Wellesley's Army before being given overall command of the cavalry in the latter stages of the Peninsular War. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Ireland and then Commander-in-Chief, India. In the latter role he stormed Bharatpur—a fort which previously had been deemed impregnable. An equestrian statue in bronze, the work of Carlo, Baron Marochetti, was raised in his honour at Chester by the inhabitants of Cheshire in October 1865. An obelisk was also erected in his memory on the edge of Combermere Park in 1890. Combermere was succeeded by his only son, Wellington Henry Stapleton-Cotton. Early Life Cotton was born at Lleweni Hall in Denbighshire, the second surviving son of Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton, 5th Baronet and Frances Cotton (née Stapleton). When he was eight, Cotton was sent to board at the grammar school in Audlem some 8 miles (13 km) from the family's estate at Combermere Abbey, where he was tutored by the headmaster, the Reverend William Salmon, who was also chaplain of the private Cotton chapel outside the estate gates. Military Service Stapleton Cotton was a very active military officer serving under Wellington during the Napoleanic Wars. * Served in Flandersat Prémont and Catteau, 1793-1794; * commanded his regiment at the Cape of Good Hope 1796-1797; * served against Tippoo Sahib at Malavelly 1799 * at the siege of Seringapatam, 1799; * elected Member of Parliament for Newark in 1806. * in command of a Brigade in the Peninsula, 1809; * when in command of the 1st division of cavalry he covered the retreat to Torres Vedras, 1809; * as 2nd in command under Wellington, he led the charge at Salamanca, to victory, 1812; * fought at the great victory of Toulouse, 1814; * in command of the allied Cavalry in France, 1815 till the end of 1816; * Governor of Barbados and commander of the West Indian forces in March 1817 * Commander in Chief in the East Indies, where he restored the English supremacy by his gallant capture of Bhurtpore, 1825. * succeeded Wellington as Constable of the Tower and Lord Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets in October 1852 * promoted to field marshal on 2 October 1855. * appointed a Knight of the Order of the Star of India on 19 August 1861. Cotton Family Ancestry The Cotton Family of Combermere Abbey has an extensive family ancestry that is directly descended from Henry II of England (1133-1189), Charlemagne (747-814) and the ancient Kings of Wessex. There are also many other notable family descendants. Combermere Abbey Principle residence was the Combermere Abbey located in Dodcott cum Wilkesley, English County of Cheshire. A former Christian monastery founded in 1130 AD and at one time the third largest church in Cheshire. In August 1539, the abbey and its estates, were granted to Sir George Cotton, an esquire of the body to Henry VIII of England (1491-1547). The Cotton Family kept it as a country home which they held up till 1919. Between 1814 and 1820, (while Governor of Barbados) Cotton undertook an extensive remodelling of his home, Combermere Abbey, including Gothic ornamentation of the Abbot's House and the construction of Wellington's Wing (now demolished) to mark Wellington's visit to the house in 1820. Marriage and Family 1st Marriage: Lady Clinton On 1 January 1801, Lady Anna Maria Clinton (d. 31 May 1807), daughter of Thomas Pelham-Clinton, 3rd Duke of Newcastle. They had three children: # Robert Henry Stapleton Cotton (1802-1821) heir apparent, died young # Son Stapleton Cotton (c1802-) died very young # Son Stapleton Cotton (c1804-) died very young 2nd Marriage:Lady Greville On 22 June 1814, Caroline Greville (d. 25 January 1837), daughter of Captain William Fulke Greville. They had three children: # Wellington Henry Stapleton Cotton, 2nd Viscount Combermere (1818-1891) - heir to Combermere Abbey estates # Caroline Stapleton Cotton (1815-) # Meliora Emily Anna Maria Cotton (c1810-) 3rd Marriage: Mary Gibbings In 1838, Mary Woolley (née Gibbings), by whom he had no issue. References * Robert Cotton - disambiguation * Combermere Abbey - Wikipedia * 1st Viscount Combermere - Wikipedia *Combermere Abbey *Combermere Restoration - Cotton Family History *[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=39977 'Houses of Cistercian monks: The abbey of Combermere' in A History of the County of Chester (Vol. 3), pp. 150–156 (1980)] *The Cottons of Combermere Abbey Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order Category:Knights Companion of the Order of the Star of India Category:Lord-Lieutenants of the Tower Hamlets Category:Members of the Privy Council of Ireland Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:British field marshals Category:British Army personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Category:British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Category:British Army commanders of the Napoleonic Wars Category:British military personnel of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War Category:British Commander-in-Chiefs of India Category:Commanders-in-Chief, Ireland Category:People educated at Westminster School, London Cotton, Stapleton Category:Baronets in the Baronetage of England Category:Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Category:Governors of Barbados Cotton, Stapleton Cotton, Stapleton Cotton, Stapleton Category:Royal Welch Fusiliers officers Category:Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards) officers Category:16th The Queen's Lancers officers Category:3rd The King's Own Hussars officers Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Tower and Sword